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After all the recent talk about the NFL planning on suspending players for helmet-to-helmet hits, the league opted to go the more traditional route with their punishment of Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather yesterday, fining Meriweather $50,000 for two hits on Todd Heap.
The second of those hits came in the second quarter of Sunday's game between the Pats and Ravens when Meriweather launched himself at Heap and delivered a helmet-to-helmet shot on the Ravens' tight end.
That hit resulted in a pretty substantial hit to the fourth-year safety's wallet. Meriweather was scheduled to make $550,000 this year, so the fine actually eclipses the $34,375 he would have forfeited had he been suspended and lost one game check.
What's your take on the punishment doled out by the league office? Is the $50,000 fine fair, or did Meriweather deserve a one-game ban instead?
While the Patriots' safety might be lucky he'll be in uniform this upcoming Sunday, the Buffalo Bills won't have much luck on their side when they enter M&T Bank Stadium this weekend.
The Bills' offense ranks 30th in the league, and is averaging just 251 total yards per game. Their defense isn't much better, ranking 29th in the NFL and allowing over 382 yards per contest.
Buffalo is currently 0-5, they've lost all but one of those games by more than a touchdown, and they have allowed nearly twice as many points as they've scored this season.
Yeah, not much has gone right for head coach Chan Gailey and his boys this season.
To make matters worse for the Bills, they'll face a Ravens team this Sunday which is coming off an incredibly frustrating loss in New England last weekend.
The Ravens fell apart in all three phases down the stretch against the Patriots. The offense went into a shell in the fourth quarter and overtime, the defense let Tom Brady lead three scoring drives in that same span, and special teams penalties and miscues didn't help matters, either.
The players' on-field performance and the coaches' play-calling has been questioned the last few days, and that will surely continue over the next couple days as well. John Harbaugh is going to work his guys hard this week, and you can bet that everyone on the home sideline Sunday afternoon will be fired up and will be looking to make a statement.
If you're the winless Bills, facing a talented 4-2 team at its own stadium is bad enough. When that team is looking to bounce back from a humbling and somewhat embarrassing loss the previous week, you better watch out.
Things could get ugly in a hurry this Sunday.
